Firstly it was the minister who proposed ESA as a way of streamlining the current education and library boards which will save the department more than £200m in the coming years. Secondly there is broad political agreement that ESA is the way forward and this was presented to the Executive by the Education Minister. It was only when presented that the minister faced intransience from unionists. Thirdly it was the DUP who blocked the implementation of ESA thereby denying it the cross-community support needed for it pass into legislation.

Alexander would be better employed by helping to face down the naysayers in his own community who block change — even forward-thinking and money-saving initiatives.